South Park, Santa Rosa, California

South Park is residential neighborhood in the city of Santa Rosa, California. It is located in south Santa Rosa, below the U.S Highway 101 and west of the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, and encompasses 60 blocks. The community is notorious for its history of an above average crime rate and gang activity.[1] South Park was also once a settlement for African Americans during the mid-1900s and was a center of Santa Rosa's Black community. Today, the neighborhood is mainly Latino. It has around 1,500 residents.

History

Originally an Italian and German community, South Park became a popular settlement for African Americans relocating from the South after World War II in the late 1940s, and was considered BY some locals to be the "black neighborhood" of Santa Rosa. A chapter of NAACP was founded and a black church was established during this time in the area, known as the Community Baptist Church. It was damaged in a suspected arson in the 1980s, and it was later moved to Sonoma Avenue.

In 1990, 17% percent of South Park's residents were Black, and 51% of them White, and 21% of them Hispanic. In the 2000s, South Park became increasingly and predominately Hispanic. Refugees from African countries, mainly Ethiopia and Eritrea also settled in the neighborhood during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as with northwest Santa Rosa.[2][3][4]

Crime

The South Park neighborhood, along with West Ninth, West Third, Roseland and Apple Valley in northwest and southwest Santa Rosa, has dealt with a higher-than-average rate of crime in comparison to other neighborhoods in Santa Rosa. South Park's gangs were geerally of Mexican American ethnicity, namely Nortenos and Surenos.[1][3] Drive-by shootings have been a common form of violence in the neighborhood, especially when conflicts between rival gangs intensify.[5][6][7]

Features

South Park along with West Ninth Street was home to American rapper Ray Luv. South Park also contains a Boys and Girls Club of America, Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, and two churches. It is situated southwest of the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.

References
  1. Norton, Laura (2009-06-04). "How dangerous is South Park?". The Press Democrat. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
  2. Giles, Gretchen (1996-11-12). "Local exhibit explores past African-American experience". Sonoma County Independent. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
  3. "South Park, Santa Rosa's vibrant, ever-changing corner". The Press Democrat. 2009-06-13. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
  4. "Interactive: Mapping the census". The Washington Post. 2010. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
  5. Rossmann, Randi (2009-04-07). "Fatal shooting in Santa Rosa". The Press Democrat. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
  6. Payne, Paul (2010-11-22). "Courts: Bragging led to arrests in fatal shooting of former Ridgway student". The Press Democrat. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
  7. Snyder, George (1997-06-10). "Teen Killed, Brother Hurt in Santa Rosa Shooting". North Bay Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-18.

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